With all due respects to both, Jagjit Singh and also ARR, let us first note that it is an opinion and not necessarily a case of mud-slinging. And he was referring specifically to 'Ghazals' alone. We must note that of Jagjit Singh did not admire ARR, he would not have agreed to be part of 'Jan Gan Man' by ARR. So, lets not blow it out of proportion. Now, coming to ghazals, if one really listens to Ghazals, say the ones that were composed in films, what jagjit Singh said is absolutely right. We dont have ghazals anymore and lets accept it, even ARR did not compose many. ARR is music-driven composer and many lyricists, including Gulzar, agreed that he gets to write lyrics for the tunes already set into music. and later they work around it.
In Ghazals, the words are born first and then music is set to the words. Also, the composer has a very indepth acumen about the language, words, vocabulary, usage etc, while composing Ghazals. More importantly urdu. For both these points, ARR actually does not fit in. So, he has a point. I am not saying that ARR is incapable of composing tunes for lyrics. Neither i am saying that ARR lacks lyrical sense. Just that he has recently started learning Hindi/urdu and that too out of the songs he composed. So, it is not that he speaks/converses in Hindi/urdu to have a grasp/mastery over the language to understand the nuances and then set music accordingly so that certain words outshine the music, as the ghazals demand that. Jagjit Singh is a seasoned ghazal singer and he has seen the length and breadth of this field called 'Ghazals', having been one of the great singers himself. So, from his angle and point of view, it is natural for him to feel so. Rahman songs have good lyrics for sure, but they are definitely not comparable to the ones in Ghazals or the world which Jagjit Singh has seen. The only exception is ARR's Tehzeeb, which had 3 wonderful Ghazals, that reaffirmed my faith in ARR that he can compose good ghazals too. But tell me, How many people know about Tehzeeb, because it is not a great audio-hit commercially, for us to see it in all TV channels. And also, How many Tehzeebs did ARR do after that? None. I am sure that Jagjit Singh never got to listen to this album. Just that ARR is not getting film-makers who insist on such rich ghazals. Whatever might be reason, Jagjit has a point though. Lets look at it objectivistically, instead of just posting negative comments on Jagjit, without verifying whether he has a valid point or not. Regards Kamal Aakarsh Vishnubhotla. http://kamal-aakarsh.blogspot.com --- On Wed, 1/28/09, gut but <gut_...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote: From: gut but <gut_...@yahoo.co.uk> Subject: Re: [arr] Re: Jagjit Singh - What does Rahman know about ghazals To: arrahmanfans@yahoogroups.com Date: Wednesday, January 28, 2009, 11:52 AM I think Jagit singh is not happy about the fame and attention that rahman is getting at the moment ! we need to understand that rahman is not sticking to particular kind of music, he goes according to the taste of contemporary world and theme of movie. From: jsrwm <js...@yahoo. com> To: arrahmanfans@ yahoogroups. com Sent: Tuesday, 27 January, 2009 23:22:32 Subject: [arr] Re: Jagjit Singh - What does Rahman know about ghazals Another story of "Oops this is a sour grape" begins.. --- In arrahmanfans@ yahoogroups. com, Anil Nair <rhythmcalls@ ...> wrote: > > Didn't expect Jagjit Singh to say this ...or maybe its just yet again the > "media monster" at work > > -A > > http://movies. indiainfo. com/2009/ 01/28/0901280633 _gazals.html > > What does Rahman know about ghazals?Wednesday, January 28, 2009 06:31 [IST] > > Mumbai: DNA <http://movies. indiainfo. com/2009/ 01/28/0901280633 _gazals.html#>, > in association with Rotary Club of Hiranandani Estate, Thane, brings on > stage the legendary ghazal maestro to recreate the magic of the > music<http://movies. indiainfo. com/2009/ 01/28/0901280633 _gazals.html#> > form. > On the eve of Jagjit Singh Live in > Concert<http://movies. indiainfo. com/2009/ 01/28/0901280633 _gazals.html#> > (at > the Shanmukhananda Auditorium), the veteran exponent of ghazals rues the end > of their era in Hindi films. > > Jagjit is not singing any film songs currently because he feels there is a > lack of taste on the part of today's filmmakers and music directors. "They > don't know what ghazals are all about and they lack good taste in music. > What does AR Rahman know about ghazals? He will never use a ghazal in his > films. All they do is pick up tunes from the West," he says. > > He criticises contemporary music directors for ruining the Indianness of > sound. "Earlier, in the 60s and 70s, 90% of the music was based on the > ghazal. Today, there's no poetry phrasing, it's all Western and the language > is tapori -- a mix of English and Hindi. What kind of lyrics are Pappu > can't dance <http://movies. indiainfo. com/2009/ 01/28/0901280633 _gazals.html#> > saala?" > > Yet the popularity of the form endures. He says, "My audience has only grown > over the years. I always improvise and add variations to my old songs on > stage. Every ghazal is re-born on that day." > > Interestingly, Jagjit only performs for a cause. On January 29, at the DNA > and Rotary concert, he will perform to provide midday meals for children. He > says, "I never give dates to concerts which are just money-making measures. > I want to give back to the society. So I give my dates only to charity > concerts." > -- > -A > http://viewsnmuse. blogspot. com >
